Letter: Caltrans concerns were foreseeable

January 21, 2014

Our council members like to think of themselves as great visionaries. So why did the public have to read in the News-Press on Jan. 10 that Caltrans confirmed the consistent concerns of the public over planning for the approximately 21 apartment complexes with 3,800 apartments for south Glendale? Caltrans would not have been so critical of our council and planning department had the council spent less time on design and more time planning for the infrastructure of the city.

The individual buildings wouldn’t have a significant effect on the infrastructure of the city, but the cumulative effect of approximately 3,800 apartments will not only impinge on nearby neighborhood street parking and traffic, but will also create more havoc at the 134 Freeway exits at Pacific, Brand, Central and Glendale avenues.

Why didn’t our council members ask the developers for more impact fees? Whatever happened to prudent development, controlled growth and not greed? Rapid overdevelopment only creates jobs for our union employees. Instead, the taxpayers of Glendale, and not the out-of-town wealthy developers, will see their quality of life affected.